Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Ceylon is a city in Martin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 413 at the 2000 census. Ceylon is the birthplace of the former Minnesota Democratic Senator, vice president, and unsuccessful Democratic presidential nominee, Walter Mondale. Ceylon is also the home of Minnesota's youngest ever elected official, John Gibeau. He was elected Mayor of Ceylon at the age of 21 years in 1998.